Hair curler



Sept. 20, 193.8. J, JACOBS `2,130,685

HAIR CURLER Filed May 25, 1957 INVENTOR JOSEP# J/qcos ATTO NEY Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR CURLER Application May 26, 1937, Serial No. 144,816

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hair waving appliancesand has particular reference to a curler of the type in which a strand of hair is wound on the curler and secured in position thereon until the curl has set.

Hair curlers of this nature have heretofore been made in which two cooperating members are pivotally connected for clamping the end of a strand of hair therebetween, after which the strand is wound about said members to form a curl. When removingthe curl from the members, diillculty has been experienced in disengaging the Wound strand in its original state because of the fact that the end of the strand is clamped between the members of the curler, with the remainder of said strand more or less tightly wound around said members, `so that the latter cannot be readily separated by the pivotal movement therebetween to relieve the clamping action of the members upon the strand. As a consequence, a considerable pressure or pull must be exerted upon thecurler and strand in opposite directions in order to disengage the curl.

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to facilitate the removal of a curl of hair from the curler by so connecting and mounting the two cooperating members of the device which hold the curl thereon that one of them may be moved longitudinally of the other, preparatory to the removal of the curl, to Withdraw the movable member from clamping engagement with the hair and thereby permit of easy removal of the curl without undue distortion thereof.

A feature of the invention is the provision of an improved curler of simple and practical construction which may be manufactured at a minimum cost. v

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved curler constructed in accordance with the present r invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view showing in its inoperative position the longitudinally adjustable member of the curler which is utilized to clamp the end of the strand of hair and about which the strand is wound to form the curl.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the curler in its operative position.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, showing a strand of hair wound about the cooperating members of the curler.

In its preferred form, the curler is shown as comprising a mandrel 5 made of a light material such as aluminum. This mandrel is formed from a single sheet of the material bent into tubular shape and slightly tapered, with both ends open. Adjacent one end of the mandrel, as at l, the same is reduced or cut away to form opposed ears 8 and the adjacent extremity of the mandrel terminates in a finger grip 9. The other end of the mandrel is provided with opposed `notches IIJ, the purpose oi which will appear in the course of the description.

A support, generally indicated by the numeral iI, is pivotally connected to the ears of the mandrel and has slidably mounted therein the clamping member I2. This member extends longitudinally of the mandrel for substantially its entire length and conforms to the circumferential contours thereof so as to cooperate therewith in securing the end of -a strand of hair between the same preparatory to winding said strand about the mandrel and clamp to form a curl. The support II is of arcuate form in cross section and has the side portions I3 disposed adjacent the ears 8 for pivotal connection therewith and, at I 4, the support is cut to` form intermediate and end guiding and supporting portions I5 and i6, respectively. The portion I5 has a smaller radius than the end portions I5, as will be best seen from Figure 4 and in this manner there is formed a guide channel I I in which the clamp I2 is movable, with the portion I5 engaging the inner surface of the clamp and the portions I6 extending over the exterior surface thereof. The end of the clamp I2 adjacent the support II is widened and flattened to provide a linger grip I8 which cooperates with the grip 9 in the handling of the curler and said grip I8 also forms a stop adapted to engage the outer end of the support II to limit the sliding movement of the clamp I2 to its operative position shown in Figures 1 and 3. Adjacent the other end of the clamp, small studs I9 project from the surface thereof and act as stops engageable with the inner portion I6 of the support II, as in Figure 2, to limit the sliding movement of the clamp to its inoperative position, as when releasing a curl from the device.

The mandrel 6 and support II are pivotally connected by the intermediate portion of a curl-retaining member 2| which is formed from a single length of wire` Said portion 20 extends transversely through the ears 8 and side portions I3 and has coiled thereabout a spring 22 the ends (ifi) of which bear against the interior surfaces of the mandrel and portion I so as to exert a yielding pressure on said parts sumcient to maintain the clamp in engagement With the main portion of the mandrel. From the portion 20, the sides of the retaining member 2l extend along opposite sides of the mandrel 6 to the outer end thereof. Here, the extremities of the Wire of said member 2| are bent or looped together to provide the detent 23 which is engageable in the notches I0 of the mandrel to frictionally maintain the member in its operative position in which it extends on opposite sides of a curl 25 (Fig. 5) to retain the latter in its wound condition on the mandrel and clamp.

In practice, to Wind a strand of hair upon the` curler, the retaining member 2| is rst disengaged from the outer end of the mandrel and swung so as to extend in an opposite direction in which position it may be held in the hand and employed to turn the curler when Winding the hair thereon. The mandrel and clamp are then separated by pressure upon the grips 9 and I3 and consequent pivotal movement between the mandrel and support H against the tension of the spring 22. The end of a strand of hair is then inserted between the mandrel and clamp after which the grips 9 and I8 are released so Vthat the clamp will return toward its normal operative position to secure the end of the strand in place. The curler is then turned to Wind the hair thereon and when this Winding operation is completed the retaining member 2| is swung back to its operative position with the sides thereof extending along the exterior of the curl and the detent 23 engaged in the notches Ill. 'Ihe device is then allowed to remain in this position until the curl is set. Preparatory to removing the curl, the retaining member may be rst clisengaged from the notches Il) and the clamping member l2 then Withdrawn longitudinally to the position of Figure 2 in which it will be disengaged from the curl to the extent that the latter may be easily removed from the mandrel Without undue distortion. It will be noted that the adjustment of the clamping member to its inoperative position, reduces the effective diameter of the curler to a suicient extent to loosen the curl on the mandrel whereby its Withdrawal is further facilitated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hair curler, a mandrel, an arcuate support pivotally connected to said mandrel and including intermediate and end portions of different radii which combine to form a guide channel, a clamp slidably mounted in said channel to operative and inoperative positions relative to said mandrel,V and means to releasably retain a Wound strand of hair on said mandrel.

2. In a hair curler, a mandrel, an arcuate support pivo-tally connected to said mandrel and including intermediate and end portions of different radii which combine to form a guide channel, a clamp slidably mounted in said channel to operative and inoperative positions relative to said mandrel, said clamp having means at opposite ends for engagement with certain portions of said support to limit the sliding movements of said clamp, and means to releasably retain a Wound strand of hair on said mandrel.

3. In a hair curler, a mandrel, an arcuate support pivotally connected to said mandrel and including intermediate and end portions of different radii which combine to form a guide channel, a clamp slidably mounted in said channel to operative and inoperative positions relative to said mandrel, said clamp having means at opposite ends for engagement with certain portions oi said support to limit the sliding movements of said clamp, and a curl retaining member formed from a single length of Wire having an intermediate portion extending through said mandrel and support to provide a pivotal connection between said elements.

JOSEPH JACOBS. 

